An electrical connection can be made between two electrical devices usually using a male and female electrical contact. One part of the connection has a male contact with an electrical pin and the other part is a female contact in the form of a socket for receiving the male contact. In this manner, the male and female contacts cooperate with each other. Connectors also exist that include integrated male and female contacts in a single connector (“hermaphroditic connectors”) such that a section of a first connector has male contacts and another section has female contact. Another identical connector may have respective male contacts and female contacts. The male and female contacts of the first connector can be aligned with the female and male contacts respectively of the other connector, and then connected together.
Once electrical connectors are mated, they are typically held together by engagement forces that arise from a male pin being engaged in order to fit into a female socket or a body housing the male pin being received by the female socket.